This invention relates to conventional wallboard construction and the common practice of supporting prefinished wallboard panels on ordinary framing members, such as wood or metal studs and furring runners. Prefinished wallboard panels are available from many sources in a wide variety of colors and textures, the most common being the vinyl surfaced gypsum drywall panels. Various methods are used to secure these prefinished panels to ordinary framing members, a preferred practice is to secure each sheet perimeter with self-drilling screw fasteners. This method holds the panels securely but requires a decorative cover or batten strip to conceal the unsightly screw heads along the exposed panel joints. A most aesthetically pleasing but more difficult construction method utilizes an adhesive to invisibly secure the wallboard panels to ordinary wood or metal framing members. This method eliminates the unsightly batten strips but elaborate bracing devices are required to temporarily secure the panels while the adhesive cures. The adhesive method is desirable for the unobstructed joint surface appearance, but the installation is more labor intensive and the panels are difficult to remove without damage.
Many so called "movable" or "demountable" partition systems are available which utilize prefinished wallboard panels modified with various fastening devices, but all of these systems require unique or specially manufactured framing members of more or less elaborate configuration. These special, single purpose framing members are not as readily available as competitively priced ordinary wood or metal studs and furring and expensive special inventories are required for installation and maintenance of these special systems.